


Better Late than Never

by thingsthatmakeme



Series: How It Could Have Been [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Gen, Severus Snape Has a Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 07:42:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3969649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thingsthatmakeme/pseuds/thingsthatmakeme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to 'Late Revelations', Severus Snape meets his death with regret. He wishes he had the chance to see Harry Potter once more - not only to give him the information he needs to finish the war, but to have the chance to make amends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better Late than Never

Severus Snape slid down the dusty wall of the shrieking shack, hopelessness such that he’d never felt before swelling in his chest. He would be too late. His final task would never be completed, and with it, his only hope to make amends. 

He would die, and Harry Potter would fail. He would die, and a boy would never truly know his mother. He would never have the chance to see those eyes directed at him with understanding, rather than hatred. 

Perhaps it was these final thoughts that produced the vision of the very eyes he sought so desperately. For here they were, shining brightly in the ever-growing darkness, concern radiating from their depths. 

“…Professor?”

Severus blinked and strained to focus, for surely, he was hallucinating. 

Because Harry Potter was kneeling at his side, one hand pressing against his neck in a vein attempt at staunching the blood that spilled from it. 

“H-Harry?” he gasped weakly, both confused and elated. Was he really here? 

Those green eyes blinked in surprise, before widening. Severus struggled to stay conscious as movement erupted around him, several voices talking in rushed whispers. 

But none of that mattered. Because Harry was here. He needed to show him. 

“…take it,” he gurgled, squeezing every precious memory and channeling it with all his power into one tear. “Take it,” he pressed, attempting to strengthen his voice. The boy had to know. And he had to take it now before Severus faltered and let his desire to keep the boy alive overcome what he knew was right. It had to be done, and only Harry could do it. 

He felt the tear collected and he sighed in relief. His last deed was done.

There was just one other thing he wanted. 

“Look…at…me.”

Green eyes connected with his, and Severus couldn’t decide which was better. Basking in the glow of the eyes that belonged to his dearest friend, his only love, or seeing the concern and the regret shining from the eyes of the boy he wished he’d had the time to know. Either way, he decided, it was more than he deserved. 

With a sigh, he closed his eyes. 

\--:--

Awareness crept slowly into his mind, tugging him away from the dark, comfortable depths of his unconsciousness. The pain in his chest and neck served to pull him further from the dense fog.

And if there was pain, there was life. 

Severus drifted in the current pulling him forward, slowly becoming acquainted with the sounds and smells of the room, the feel of the soft bed and smooth sheets. 

The earthy herb smell and the tang of blood confirmed he was in the hospital wing, and the heaviness of his limbs told him that he’d been here for quite some time. 

And soft breathing informed him that he was not alone. 

After several weak attempts, he managed to open his eyes. 

Thankfully, the room was dark and quiet, the sights and sounds soothing to his weary senses. He blinked several times, eyes fixed on the familiar grey stone of the Hogwarts infirmary. 

He had survived. 

Part of him wanted to laugh, another wanted to cry. He shouldn’t be alive. He didn’t want to be alive. What purpose would he serve in a world that didn’t have bright green eyes? 

Not only had he squandered his chance to know Lily’s son, but he had sent him to his grave. He groaned weakly. 

“P’fessor?”

A grunt of pain followed the weak call, and a blurry figure moved into Severus’ line of vision. 

And a pair of bright green eyes blinked blearily down at him. 

“Professor Snape!” Harry called, his eyes widening. “You’re alive!”

Severus stared up at the impossible sight, his heart hammering. How was this possible? Was he truly dead, after all?

“H-How?” he croaked, wincing at the dryness of his throat. The figure disappeared, and he almost cried out at the absence, but it returned quickly, accompanied by a hand sliding under his head. He was lifted up as a cup was brought to his lips, and Severus drank gratefully, delighting in the cool water against his parched throat. 

“Thank you,” he whispered, fighting his eyelids against the fatigue threatening to overtake them. 

“Thank you,” a soft voice responded. Severus focused again on green eyes, watching as they filled with emotion. 

He frowned. “I sent you to your death,” he argued, losing the battle against his eyelids for a moment. 

“You kept me alive,” Harry retorted. “So many times.” Severus opened his eyes again to see the boy watching him with unreserved awe. 

If he were capable, Severus would probably flush with embarrassment. He hadn’t meant to survive. Hadn’t meant to be confronted by the boy again, and had shown no reserve in which memories he gave him. 

“Don’t,” Harry said firmly. “I don’t judge you for anything I saw.”

Severus met the boy’s eyes again. 

“You…should,” he whispered. 

The boy scoffed. “Well, when do I ever do as I’m told?” 

Severus wanted to chuckle, but instead, he frowned at him. Harry cracked a small smile. 

“Rest,” the boy said firmly. “You have all the time in the world to scowl at me later.”

“I’ll…hold you…to that…Potter,” he growled weakly, eyes fluttering shut against his will. He was so awfully tired. 

He slipped away at the light sound of chuckling. Instead of darkness, however, he drifted peacefully along in undisturbed dreams, reveling in the warmth that came with this new possible future. He would finally get his second chance.

**Author's Note:**

> The next installment of What Could Have Been will be much longer than either of the first two. I have it outlined, and hope to have it posted later this week!


End file.
